If you’re a retailer, you’re constantly struggling to keep your margin high enough to stay in business. Between rent, COVID-19, taxes, and competition from online stores, it can seem like everything is out to get you. In the summertime, that includes the weather.
When the weather gets really hot, it can significantly impact retail sales in many ways. Sometimes you can’t do anything about it, but other times you can take control with an evaporative cooler at your store.
One of the biggest impacts heat can have on retail sales is that people often prefer to stay home when it’s too hot. They want to stay where it’s comfortable.
This doesn’t mean that they won’t shop. It means that they often do their shopping online. Just like when it’s raining or snowy, online retailers see a spike in sales when the weather gets very hot.
On the other hand, heat can work in your favor once people are out shopping. Often, people see a sunny day and think it will be nice to be out. Once it gets too hot, they start looking for shelter. At this point, they will often look for an air-conditioned retail store to provide a break from the heat.
Once people are in the store, they will browse, and this makes them more likely to buy if they see something they like. This can lead to some stores seeing good sales on hot days.
While indoor stores may see some balancing effects on the hottest days, open-air retailers don’t see a similar benefit. An open-air booth or mall might seem appealing when the weather is warm, but hot weather makes people irritable and impatient. They simply don’t want to spend time browsing in the heat.
This becomes even worse for special events like county or state fairs. When the weather is hot, fair attendance drops. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in Iowa or Los Angeles – hot weather means nobody wants to go to the fair. Even worse, they don’t want to stay there and spend their money.
What can outdoor retailers do to overcome this challenge? An evaporative cooler can be your secret weapon. With an evaporative cooler, an outdoor retailer can create an environment that’s as comfortable as an indoor, air-conditioned store.
An evaporative cooler can dramatically drop the air temperature by up to 30 degrees Fahrenheit in hot, dry conditions. Even in humid conditions, the temperature can drop 15 degrees or more. With customers dressed for summer weather, that’s all they need to stay comfortable.
This means that customers will spend more time browsing at your booth. They’ll be in a better mood when they’re shopping, which means they’re more likely to buy. They might even be inclined to buy something purely out of gratitude for the comfortable conditions.
With the efficient operation of the evaporative cooler, you won’t be losing all your profits to energy costs. Not only that but there’s no installation cost. You can set it up anywhere you have access to water and a standard outlet. Because they’re portable, evaporative coolers can be deployed where they’re needed. If some places get the morning sun and others get it in the afternoon, the cooler can move to target those areas. It can also follow the crowds: set it up in a food court at lunchtime, then move it to the amphitheater when bands start to play in the evening.
For stores with no air conditioning, the impact can be just as bad as for outdoor retailers. People might duck into a store, but they won’t stay long if the conditions are uncomfortable. And they will rarely buy anything.
The problem is that it can be expensive to install air conditioning. It might not even be an option if you’re leasing your location. Sometimes you might even have air conditioning, but your landlord refuses to fix it or never gets around to it. In these situations, you need an affordable, easy way to cool your store. Portacool portable evaporative coolers are the perfect solution. You can wheel them where they’re needed, and they cool the store quickly and efficiently. As long as you have access to an outside air source, our evaporative coolers can deliver the comfort you need in your indoor retail store.
Want to learn how a portable evaporative cooler can help you beat the heat on the hottest days? Please visit a local retailer or contact Portacool directly for more information.
